Therefore Menelaus, taking Andronicus aside, urged him to kill Onias: Therefore may be rendered “Then” (Good News Bible) or “Shortly after this” (Contemporary English Version). Taking Andronicus aside means that Menelaus talked to Andronicus secretly. An alternative model for this whole sentence is “Shortly after this, Menelaus met secretly with Andronicus and persuaded him to kill Onias.”

Andronicus came to Onias, and resorting to treachery offered him sworn pledges and gave him his right hand: Good News Bible and Contemporary English Version begin this sentence with the connector “So,” which is helpful. Resorting to treachery (Good News Bible “deceived him”) means that Andronicus’ actions here were deceitful. Good News Bible reverses offered him sworn pledges (“with promises of safety”) and gave him his right hand (“with a friendly greeting”). This is done because the greeting would have been given before the promises. However, it is not clear that gave him his right hand indicates a greeting. The Greek text for and resorting to treachery offered him sworn pledges and gave him his right hand is textually and grammatically very difficult. Goldstein translates “Brazen in treachery … accepted his right hand, and gave him his own in oath.” New American Bible has “and by treacherously reassuring him through sworn pledges with right hands joined.” Any of these approaches are possible. We think that giving the right hand was not a greeting, but part of the sworn pledges, some kind of sign that the promise made under oath was really sincere (compare 2Macc 12.11-12; 13.22). If translators accept our suggestion, they may say “and deceived him by giving him a solemn promise of safety” or “and deceived him, saying ‘I solemnly promise that you will be safe.’”

And in spite of his suspicion persuaded Onias to come out from the place of sanctuary: In spite of his suspicion refers to Onias’ suspicion that Andronicus was lying in assuring him that he would be safe if he left the safety of the temple. This phrase may be rendered “Onias didn’t really trust Andronicus.” Persuaded Onias to come out from the place of sanctuary may be translated “but he persuaded Onias to leave the safety of the temple [or, the temple where he was safe].”

Then, with no regard for justice, he immediately put him out of the way: Then, with no regard for justice may be expressed as “Then, without any regard for what was right [or, for justice].” Good News Bible says “in cold blood,” which is an English idiom for a merciless murder. Put him out of the way is a euphemism for “killed him.” The Greek verb translated put him out of the way is chosen because it makes a neat play-on-words with the Greek word for immediately. Since this wordplay will be hard to keep in other languages, translators are free to use their own figurative expression for murder. A model that uses nonfigurative language for this sentence is “Then he killed him, [and did so] with no regard at all for justice.”

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Maccabees. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.